The First Nine Weeks

The hardest and most difficult thing about being a first year teacher is that, NO MATTER WHAT, once you walk through the doors of that classroom, you are expected to perform as if you have been teaching for 25 years.

I'm not writing this to inform the world about my life...no one may even read this. Its just a way for me to get out all of my frustration and excitement in teaching. There may be times when some aspect of my life relates to teaching but that will be the only part of my personal life shared on this.

Its hard to sum up the first nine weeks. I walked in to a school I didn't know too much about. I student taught 4th grade (LOVED IT!) and have always wanted to teach 3rd or 4th.....2nd has certainly brought its challenges. To sum up the first nine weeks: I have had all the first year teacher tears, I have spent countless hours doing school work to the point that my body could no longer go on functioning; one day (after crying in the arms of another 2nd grade teacher and the school secretary) I just left it all at school and went home and went to bed at like 4 in the afternoon. My hands shake from the exhaustion on some days. There are no words to describe how tired I have been in the last 10 weeks. There are so many things people at the school just don't bother to tell you and I guess they just expect you to figure it out. People expect a teacher to be absolutely perfect, no joke. Very rarely do they consider the fact that the teacher is REAL person - not a robot or some emotionless, unfeeling being. They will tear you apart for one little mistake but they never mention all the things you execute flawlessly.
Overall, I have a very sweet class, with the exception of one child, which has required ALL of me and then some. Yet, I feel as though we are making NO progress no matter what I try. I know I need to spend more time in prayer for this child. Never in my life have I seen one like him. I knew teaching would not be easy. I knew it would bring its challenges - and it has. There are 2 big dreams I've had in my life. The second one is teaching - I have worked my entire life to get to this point - yet most days it does not feel like I have finally achieved it haha.
I have kids who can't read numbers, don't understand how to count by one; there just LOW in general..aahhh!!!! :)

Monday will mark the end of the first nine weeks...and there is alot left to be done the rest of the year.

Even though its insane and there have certainly been days I've just wanted to quit...I wouldn't trade it for the world...there's nothing else I would do! Yes, you have to be a lunatic to enter and remain in this profession. You also have to be someone who loves alot and who will give more even when you've given all there is.